Tenant Lead Poisoning

The use of lead-based paint in new housing has been against the law across the United States for decades. However, millions of apartment buildings and homes that were built before 1978 may still contain lead paint. For this reason, state and federal governments — including the government of California — have passed laws to protect renters against the health hazards that may be caused by having lead-based paint in one’s home. While these laws do not require lead-based paint be removed from a home or apartment, they do mandate that a landlord or seller provide written disclosures regarding any lead-based paint located on the property, and to properly abate lead-based paint if a landlord is notified by a code enforcement agent about the need to remove lead-based paint from a rental unit.

Lead-Based Paint Hazards in the Home

While lead-based paint is considered safe when it is in good condition, it becomes dangerously toxic as it breaks down. Lead-based paint can peel, chip, or disintegrate. Individuals who live in rooms with lead-based paint can suffer from lead poisoning through ingestion, which may happen by breathing in dust or scratching off paint chips and eating them, as young children often do.

Learning disabilities and attention deficit disorders are often associated with exposure to toxic levels of lead. Although, exposure to lead-based paint is even more toxic to young children and pregnant women, exposure to lead-based paint is dangerous to all persons, regardless of age. Unborn babies can also suffer birth defects as a result of continued exposure and lead poisoning.